Hinge counterbalance and hold-open



0 2 1 LA VERNE B. RAGSDALE 2,998,934

HINGE COUNTERBALANCE AND HOLD-OPEN Filed NOV. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR z/mreflfa .s'c a/z W ATTORNEY Oct 20, LA ,VERNE B; RAGSDALE 2,903,934

HINGE COUNTERBALANCE AND HOLD-OPEN Filed Nov. 25, 1954 ZSheet-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United States Patent 2,903,934 HINGE COUNTERBALANCE AND HOLD-OPEN La Verne B. Ragsdale, Dearborn, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 23, 1954, Serial No. 470,560

4 Claims. (Cl. 16-146) This invention relates to a hinge counterbalance and hold-open, and more particularly to an improved counterbalance and hold-open device for automobile door hinges.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved hinge counterbalance and hold-open; another feature of the invention is that it provides a hinge counterbalance and hold-open device including a cam lever pivotally mounted on one hinge member and a follower projecting from the other hinge member into engagement with the cam surface of the lever, with spring means biasing the lever into constant engagement with the follower to provide a counterbalance force; a further feature of the invention is that the cam surface has a detent over which the follower rides when the hinge parts approach open position to provide a yieldable hold-open for the hinge strap; and a further feature of the invention is that there may be a pair of similar cam levers pivoted on a common axis on opposite sides of the hinge strap and the spring means may comprise helical springs mounted between the levers on said axis.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a horizontal section through the body pillar and a portion of the door, the door being shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but with the door shown in open position;

Fig. 3 is a section through a portion of the hinge box taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section through a portion of the hinge box taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section through a portion of the hinge box taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, is an automobile body hinge pillar having an opening 12 in its jamb face, and 14 is an automobile door having a hinge face 15 facing the opening 12 when the door is closed. The door preferably is secured to the body.

by two vertically spaced hinges. is illustrated in the drawings.

A hinge box 16 is mounted on the automobile body within the pillar 10 by means of screws 17. The box 16 is generally U-shaped, having a base 18 through which the screws 17 extend, and having opposite side walls 19 projecting outwardly from the base and terminating adjacent the opening 12.

A hinge pin 22 is journaled between the opposite walls 19 and forms a pivotal support for a gooseneck hinge strap 24 which is mounted for swinging movement between the walls 19 and which has a free end portion 25 extending through the opening 12. The end 25 is secured to the door by means of screws 27 threaded into a reinforcing plate 28 on the inner surface of the door wall. The door may be swung between open and closed positions as shown in the drawings.

In order to provide a hold-open device for yieldably Only the upper hinge 2,908,934 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 holding the hinge in open position and for providing a counterbalance force as the door is moved between open and closed position, at least one cam leveris pivotally mounted'on one of the box and strap members, thelever having a cam surface with a detent portion. A follower projects from the other of said box and strap members into engagement with the cam surface of the lever. Spring means are provided to bias the lever into constant engagement with the follower, the follower riding along the cam surface of the lever during opening movement of the strap to provide a counterbalance, and riding over the detent portion of the lever when the strap approaches open position to provide a yieldable holdopen for the door. 7

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, there are two levers shown at 30 and 32, respectively. The levers are pivotally mounted on the hinge box, one lever being adjacent each of the opposite walls 19 of the hinge box. A common axis for levers 30 and 32 is formed by a pivot pin34 which is journaled between the opposite walls 19. The pin 34 is spaced from, but extends parallel to, the pivot pin 22' which mounts the hinge strap 24. A bushing 35 is rotatably mounted on the pin 34 and the levers 30 and 32 are mounted 011 reduced. end portions of the bushing. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lever 30 has a sloping cam surface 36 with a detent portion 38. The lever 32 is identically formed with a cam surface and a detent portion.

Follower means for engaging the cam surface of the respective levers comprise pins 40 and 42 which project outwardly from opposite sides of the hinge strap 24 into constant engagement with the respective levers. At its outer end, pin 40 is provided with a roller 44, and pin 42 is provided at its outer end with a similar roller 46. A pair of strong helical springs 48, 48a which are mounted on the bushing 35 urge the respective levers into constant engagement with the respective pins 40 and 42 so when the door is swung between closed and open positions, a counterbalance force is exerted by the springs. One end of each spring engages the adjacent lever and the other end of each spring is anchored against a tongue 49 projecting from a cap 50 on the hinge box.

A stop to limit swinging movement of the hinge strap 24 in the open position is provided by means of the cap 50 which is welded to the hinge box walls and which mounts a rubber bumper 51. When the hinge strap is at its fully open position, it abuts the rubber bumper and the bumper provides a limit stop.

In the operation of the device, as the door is swung from closed to open position the rollers on the follower pins ride along the sloping cam surface of each lever, the springs 48, 48a holding the levers in constant engagement with the rollers and providing a counterbalance force during opening movement of the door. As the door approaches open position, the followers ride into the detent portion 38 of the levers and the springs 48, 48:: provide a yieldable hold-open for the door.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a door hinge including a hinge box having opposite parallel side walls and a hinge arm pivotally mounted between said walls and spaced therefrom for movement between door open and door closed positions, a hinge hold-open, comprising a pin projecting from one of said walls, a lever pivotally mounted at one end of said pin for swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the hinge arm in the space between said hinge arm and v 3.. 7 said walls, said lever being formed with a holdopen detent located closer to said one end than to the free end thereof, and a cairn edge extending from said defeat to the free end of said lever, said cam edge extending at an angle .toa line drawn from'the'pivotal axis of the lever't'o the free end thereof, a cam follower projecting from said hinge arm into the space between said hinge arm and said one wall for movement with the hinge arm between door open and door closed positions in the plane of swinging movement of said lever, and a torsion spring on said pin, said spring having one end anchored on the hinge box and the other end connected to said lever for biasing the free end of said lever away from the pivotal axis of said hinge arm whereby said cam edge is biased toward the path of door opening movement of said follower, the follower riding along the cam surface during opening movement of the strap to provide a counterbalance as a result of said bias and the follower riding over the detent when the strap is in open position to provide a yieldable hold-open for the hinge strap.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said follower. comprises a stud projecting from said strap and a roller on said stud.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, including a lever and a follower at each side of said strap and separate springs for biasing each lever.

4. In combination with a door hinge including a hinge box having opposite parallel side walls and a hinge arm pivotally mounted between said walls and spaced therefrom for movement between door open and 'door closed positions, a hinge hold-open, comprising a pin projecting from one of said walls, a lever pivotally mounted at one end on said pin for swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the hinge arm in the space between said hinge arm and said walls, said lever being formed with a hold-open detent located closer to said one end than to the free end thereof, and a cam edge extending from said detent to the free end of said lever, said cam edge extending at an angle to and lying on only one side of a line drawn from the pivotal axis of the lever to the apex of the free end thereof, a cam follower projecting from said hinge arm into the space between said hinge arm and said one wall for movement with the hinge arm between door open and door closed positions in the plane of swinging movement of said lever, and a torsion spring on said pin, said spring having one end anchored on the hinge box and the other end connected to said lever for biasing the free end of said lever away from the pivotal axis of said hinge arm whereby said cam edge is biased toward the path of door opening movement of said follower, the follower riding along the cam surface during opening movement of the strap to provide a counterbalance as a result of said bias and the follower riding over the detent when the strap is in open position to provide a yieldable hold-open for the hinge strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,594,219 Stockstrom July 27, 1926 1,694,764 Beringer Dec. 11, 1923 2,314,416 Muldoon Mar. 23, 1943 2,343,810 Schonitzer Mar. 7, 1944 2,553,185 Gessler May 15, 1951 2,573,096 Ender Oct. 30, 1951 2,683,447 Pollock July 13, 1954 2,702,401 Vigmostad Feb. 22, 1955 2,707,302 Johnson May 3, 1955 2,731,011 Maier Jan. 17, 1956 

